Page 26 of Not the Bodyguard's Baby
“Thanks, Dr. Brooks, for everything. This isn’t the way I pictured this ending, but I think I’ll be okay.” September hugged the doctor.
“You will be. Adam has my emergency number. I’ll send a nurse for you when it is time to slip you out of here.”
There wasn’t much to gather other than her journal and the few clothes Melanie had brought over. September exchanged the hospital’s nursing top for one of her own shirts.
A cafeteria worker knocked on September’s door and entered with a tray.
“I don’t need—” September stopped when she realized the worker was Melanie.
“Good, because I made shepherd’s pie, and I would like to get home to eat it. How about it?” Melanie took the cover off the tray, revealing a blue uniform and hairnet. “We will leave through the employee entrance.”
14
Adam checkedthe clock again as he paced the living room. According to his mother’s text, September and Melanie had left the hospital twenty minutes ago. Adam debated about giving in and feeding Harmony a bottle, but he figured September would need to feed Harmony as badly as Harmony needed to eat when they got here. This was one of those moments where a pacifier would come in handy. He circled the couch and crossed in front of the window again. His mom’s sedan pulled into the driveway and idled while the garage door opened.
“Look! Mama is here.” Harmony tried stuffing her fist in her mouth. Adam crossed the room to the kitchen and opened the door to the garage. His mother and September laughed as they got out of the car.
At the sight and sound of her mother, Harmony let out a wail.
September rushed over and gathered Harmony from Adam’s arms. “Poor baby. I bet you’re starving.”
“There’s a rocking chair in the nursery upstairs. Adam will show you where it is.” Adam’s mother gathered several parcels from the back of the car and followed September into the house.
Adam turned on the light in the nursery. “Mom’s been waiting for a grandchild and has had this room ready for years. Although it wasn’t until Abbie’s announcement two months ago that it started to take shape. Do you need anything?”
“Would you mind bringing me a water bottle? I seem to get thirsty when I nurse.” September settled into the chair and tossed a blanket over her shoulder as Adam hurried down the stairs.
His mother passed him on the way. “Come back upstairs and talk to us as soon as you can.”
When Adam returned, he found his mother scrolling through her tablet. “Alan sent over an update. It looks like the original website is backing off its claim that September is in a mental hospital. The hospital released a statement apologizing to all its patients for the HIPAA violation, reassuring that the employee who took the photo has been terminated and that further legal actions will be taken. The statement also denies they ever had a patient by the name of September registered there and asks the media out of concern for the privacy of their 112 other patients to please leave the area.”
September sighed. “I almost wish the receptionist would’ve tried to hit you or something so you could’ve twisted her arm around her back. I haven’t wanted to hit anybody in quite a while, but knowing she published Harmony’s picture, I want to slap her.”
“Just as well you didn’t. It would have only confirmed her suspicions about you,” said Melanie. “But I wish she would have resisted too.”
Adam leaned against the doorjamb. “The question is how many people saw the article and copied the photo.”
“And did Shyla see it. She will not dismiss the possibility that I’m here in Chicago.” Harmony pulled on the blanket, shrouding her head. September grabbed it before Harmony pulled it off her shoulder. She blushed as she looked down at her baby.
Adam stepped back into the hallway. “If you don’t need me, I think I’ll go check on dinner now.”
“Thanks, Adam, I need to get rid of my makeup and this uniform. I’ll be right back, September.” Melanie followed Adam downstairs on her way to the master bedroom. She stopped him in the hall, signaling for him to go into the formal living room. She sat on the couch and waited until Adam sat too.
“I try to stay out of my children’s romantic lives, but you need to decide. Are you going to be a long-term part of September’s and Harmony’s lives, or is this temporary? Long-term it will be better for September to deal with the relationship status now. If you are not planning on making it permanent, you need to leave. If marriage is your plan, tell her. I’m not saying you need to propose this week, but if that is the general idea, give her time to start processing that you love her. Besides the PPD messing with her feelings, love has been in short supply in her life. Trusting yours will take time.”
“Are you wanting an answer now? Or do you want me to think about it?”
Melanie crossed her arms and gave him one of those knowing mother looks. “I’m not the one who needs the answer.” She walked into her bedroom and closed the door.
The smell of the shepherd’s pie filled the kitchen, Adam’s mouth reacting like Pavlov’s dogs to a dinner bell. Roast beef and potatoes at their leftover best. Adam put on an oven mitt before checking to see if dinner was finished cooking. The mashed potato top looked perfectly toasted, so Adam removed the dish and set it on the rack to cool before setting the table. He heard the garage door indicating his father was home. He set a fourth place at the little kitchen table. It was probably the most people who ate here since the twins had left for college. When the Hastings gathered for their bimonthly family Sunday dinners, they ate in the dining room as they had every night when he was growing up.
His father came through the kitchen door, followed by Alan. Jethro scanned the room, brows furrowed. “Where are your mother and September?”
“Bedroom and nursery.” Adam pointed toward both. “Is something wrong?”
“I’m not sure. Shyla called me.”
Adam nearly dropped the plate in his hand. “She heard about the picture?”
